


Trial

by Skyriazeth



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Blood, Blood Loss, Gen, Kamski/ Markus if you squint, Knifeplay, Pre Carl Markus, Stuff happens, again if you squint, future buildup to the potential, kamski is kind of a dick, kinda cool im just saying, one sided kamski- markus ?, or at least, their potential dynamics is, when Markus was still with Kamski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-14 00:42:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16029461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyriazeth/pseuds/Skyriazeth
Summary: Kamski decides to put his perfect creation through a little experiment on his journey to discover the nature of Deviancy.





	Trial

  
  
  
White flutters across the icy breath of winter, blanketing the magnificent cityscape in falling snow. Elijah almost forgets to breathe, entirely too captivated by nature’s unyielding beauty, a single, glass pane the only thing standing between him and the biting cold. Warmth, soothing and calm seeps into his skin, so unlike the blinding, pale light that filters into the room. Still, Elijah manages to find beauty in its jarring difference, in the same way he finds brown skin a brilliant contrast against the monotonous greys of his interior.

He lets out a still breath, movements precise and calculated as he turns his attention back to the kneeling figure several feet away from him. Markus has always been his favorite creation-- flawless in every way and everything he isn’t. An eternal flower that never wilts, captured perfectly on time’s endlessly flowing canvas. It was something only the skilled hand of an artist could create, weaving strings of numbers and metal parts into a lifelike being. Elijah never thought he would ever match the bravado and elegance of Carl's art, but this was living proof otherwise.

Two, slender hands slides from Markus’ back onto his shoulders, the android’s head still bowed in a subservient manner. Elijah can almost feel Markus’ body shudder, which puts a satisfied smile on his lips. He lets his hands feather across his smooth skin, admiring the dips and curves of muscles carefully carved onto his body, and Elijah feels the swell of pride in his chest to have successfully recreated what is essentially a modern Adonis. Footsteps slow and deliberate, he paces to face Markus, whose eyes are pinned resolutely on the floor.

Elijah hooks a finger under his chin, tipping it up , and what he’s met with is a pair of docile green eyes that’s patiently awaiting for his next order. Something like contempt tugs at his edges, and it’s the first time he speaks after a long while of silent contemplation.

“Look at you Markus. So immaculately perfect.” He doesn’t bother hiding the fascination that bleeds from his voice, a thumb stroking his freckled cheek affectionately. The contact seems to bring Markus a great deal of comfort, leaning into Elijah’s touch obediently without retaliation. That was something he’ll be seeing to shortly. Because Markus isn’t like all the other androids before him. Markus is _different_ , and Elijah was going to make sure that _he_ knows.

“A breathtaking sight, if I may say so myself.” Markus’ pliant gaze simply stayed unwavering on him, empty and void of any emotion. That's how all androids are meant to be, but Elijah has other plans for him.

He moves to a nearby cabinet, opening the second drawer and procuring a blade that resembles a traditional knife. It's not, though. There's a weight to it as Elijah rests it on his palm, heavy and cold in his hands. The metal glimmers a soft shade of cerulean in the light, and can easily cut through an android’s chassis with the right strength applied. It’s a tool he had specifically prepared for today's experiment, and proves to be much more...intimate than a commonplace pistol. Satisfied, Elijah shuts the drawer and admires the almost ethereal glow of the knife under faint light, before circling the lean figure that remained unmoving in the middle of the room.

Blue eyes wander back to Markus, attentive to every little detail his skin was graced with, with extra attention paid to the dust of freckles across his cheeks that had been his favorite feature of Elijah’s since his creation. The only sound that could be heard in the empty vastness was the trickle of water in his pool, and his light footsteps as he inched closer to Markus. Elijah finally stops in his tracks when he was once again standing behind his back, the blunt side of the blade pressing cooly against the crook of Markus’ neck.  
  
No response, except for a small twitch that caught his eyes. Time to take it a step further.  
  
“Tell me, Markus, do you feel pain?” The answer doesn’t come, but he can feel Markus tensing under him, shoulders pull taut and simulated breathing slightly more audible than before. Elijah lets a few minute past, soaking in the android's undeniable apprehension that’s seeping from his otherwise stiff body.

Delicately, he drags the tip of the knife along brown skin, tracing Markus’ neck, down to his clavicle, before stopping short of his chest. The evident discomfort Markus is experiencing was plain on his face, yet still, he remains rooted in place. 

“Markus. Answer me.” Elijah punctuates his words by applying enough pressure onto the surface of his skin that it draws out a vibrant cobalt, rewarding him with a surprised gasp that pleased him to no end. _Perfect._ He didn’t expect to elicit any reaction from Markus from the first few tries, but it seems he’s yielding to his sensations sooner than he thought.

“N-no.” The slight stutter in his words makes Markus’ hesitation easier to pick up, and Elijah is quick to take advantage of that, twisting the knife deeper inside and letting blue spill all over his torso. It paints his tanned chest with artistic precision, spilling colors onto a perfect canvas that only Elijah could bear witness. He knows that he’s programmed to offer such a reply- knows that Markus can’t help it, but Elijah is adamant to find out if there’s anything beyond that,prodding curiosity fueling his restless nights. 

  
Markus’ expression remains as placid as he could manage, but Elijah knows that he’s gradually chipping him away, if the strangled noise that threatens to part Markus’ lips when the cut is deepen further was anything to go by. It’s only when Elijah hears a small whimper does he stop, lifting the blood-stained knife from his skin and choosing instead to examine it in the light.  
  
“Oh? I don’t think that seems to be the case.” A loose grin tugs the edges of his mouth, taking a sample of the blood with a swipe of his fingers. It’s fascinating , really, how this seemingly insignificant chemical component at first glance now allowed android the ability to mimic human functionality, and not at all much different from the red that ran in his veins. Briefly, it reminds him how human Markus would be in that case, but he dismisses it quickly. No, not yet.  
  
Soon, though.  
  
Elijah repositions his knife, now at the nape of Markus’ neck. It makes his head jerk violently upwards, but Markus still doesn’t say a thing. Taking that as a good sign, he glides the edge of the blade across his back, and eventually settles on a firm arm.  
  
“Now, Markus, let’s try this again, hm?” This time, Elijah doesn’t spare him any mercy and digs the knife right through his skin and chassis, blue blood pouring from the newly made wound. The reaction is much greater this time, Markus jolting when it breaks skin and heaving heavily as wave after wave of blood dribble down his arm and pool onto the floor. The shock and terror on Markus makes Elijah smile with contentment, letting the knife drag along his skin until he’s face to face with those forest green eyes.  
  
It’s etched with fear and a wordless plea, and only serves to widen Elijah’s pleased smirk. This turned out to be more successful than he anticipated, his prior attempts with other androids not even coming close to this. Markus was truly his perfect creation, and this naked display of what what could potentially be the first signs of emotions was evident enough.

“T-thirium levels at 34%, Elijah.” His musings were cut short by Markus’ shaky voice, and he clearly knows what he’s implying when Markus brings this up as the flow of thirium from both of his wounds doesn’t cease. Markus looks genuinely worried about his low levels of Thirium, almost like he’s afraid of being shut down.

Afraid of _‘death’_.  
  
Elijah doesn’t pay his words any mind, opting to crouch and run his free hand across Markus’ face instead, calm smile a contrast to the franticness apparent on Markus’ expression. The cobalt on his fingers stain his flushed cheek, Thirium depletion causing it to feel warm to touch. So , so alike humans in every way.

When Elijah doesn’t provide him with a response, his hands moves to clutch tightly  at the gash on his arm,a futile attempt to prevent the bleeding. 

“Thir- Thirium levels a- at 28%-” Markus finds it difficult to speak ,simulated breathing becoming more labored.  
  
“Elijah- I- _Please_ -”  Panic is leaking out and spilling onto the floor like the Thirium that was starting to flood the space between them. Markus looks terrified, and in a split second realization, his hand reaches weakly for Elijah’s.  

“Please- _please Elijah_ -” Despite in what Elijah would describe to be a life threatening situation, Markus’ grip was gentle but desperate, dilated eyes staring pleadingly into his own. Somehow, of all the scenarios that could have taken place , Markus begging Elijah isn’t one he even imagined happening.

“Alright, Markus- You have me convinced.” In one jarring movement, he released his hold and stands back up, arms open as if to admit defeat, which in this case, is really quite the opposite. Elijah notices the relief that washes over Markus, attention now entirely focused on him and not the collecting blue at both their feet. He gestures for Chloe, and soon after she emerges from the other room with towels.  
  
“ Chloe, take him to the maintenance room and patch him up. I’ll join you shortly when you’re done.” He doesn’t spare Markus another glance, the injured android hobbling onto his feet with Chloe’s help and disappearing into the next room. Elijah stares pointedly at the blood that’s messily sprawled on the floor and momentarily, he feels guilty gnaw his insides, before promptly being replaced with accomplishment.

Pacing back to the sweeping windows, he sets the Thirium coated knife on top of the cabinet next to him. The wind is howling outside-- leaves rustling restlessly as snow drifted without an aim in the growing mist. Times like these is when Elijah feels grateful for the warmth that’s curling around his body. He lets out a satisfied sigh, a sincere smile gracing his lips for the first time today.  
  
What makes a human, human? Who knows, but Elijah’s is going to find out soon enough, all thanks to Markus.  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what I'm doing but like- ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT THIS IS A COOL CONCEPT OKAY-
> 
> Elijah and Markus MUST have some interaction before he was gifted to Carl. I'd also like to believe that this is why Markus, despite getting a memory wipe in the future, still has a phobia towards sharp objects


End file.
